2 - Sunset Lies

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I wake up to sunlight pressing against my eyelids

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I wake up to sunlight pressing against my eyelids.
I turn, looking toward John b- or where he was supposed to be.

But it was empty.

My heart drops.

"What a liar" I mutter, jumping up.
He promised. He promised he wouldn't go after the gold.


The hotel feels like sea air and perfume as I hurry out. I'm barely past the courtyard when a car screeches to a stop in front of me. Instinct kicks in- I turn to walk away fast.

A hand clamps over my mouth.

I twist, panic flaring- then I see his face.
Stubbs.

Terrance's guy.

He drags me to the car. No words. No choice.

By the time we reached the house, I'm shoved inside like cargo.
Stubbs waits with me until cleo pushes through the back door.

"Bos- he's here. Hey, found your boyfriend." She says

John b steps in, breathless, hair soaked with sweat.
He steps toward me.

"Hey. Listen. I just-" he started

"Liar." I shove him away.

His face falls.
In his mind, he probably thought bringing back the gold would fix everything. But all I saw was him breaking a promise that mattered.

Stubbs catches him by the neck, jerking him backyards.

"I wouldn't provoke him. It tends not to go so well. You can run but you can't hide John B. I got eyes and ears everywhere." Terrance says

He nods to cleo.
"Took you long enough." He said

"Next time get him yourself" Cleo snaps

"After all our hospitality you left without saying goodbye" Terrance said.

"Let us go" I said

"I got 50,000 reasons why that ain't gonna happen" Terrance said, holding up John b's wanted paper.

"He didn't do anything" I argue.

"Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. I don't care.
We let the courts decide. Bring him to the proper authorities." Terrance said

Stubbs hauls John b up by his shirt.
"What are you talking about? Hey no no.
Listen listen. I can pay. I can pay you" John B says

"You got 50K in your back pocket? If not bye-bye." Terrance said

John b slips off his backpack. I grab it before Stubbs can.

"Easy girlie. Slowly." Terrance says

I pull the gold out and hold it up. Even in the dim light, it glows like fire.

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